April 18, 2023
MAYOR'S UPDATE
From the desk of Mayor Rika Levin
In the spirit of highlighting Volunteer appreciation month, I am proud to announce the newly created Placemaking Committee in Ossining. “Placemaking” is the practice of designing, creating, and programming public spaces around the needs and desires of the community of users. The placemaking process contributes as much benefit to community empowerment as it does to creating public spaces themselves, blurring the lines between laypersons and professionals to develop a strong 'community of makers'. 

Through this new initiative, the Village Board hopes to provide formalized opportunities for the community:

  • Spark public discourse
  • Create beauty and delight
  • Engender civic pride
  • Support community health and safety
  • Grow social justice
  • Build or improve public spaces
  • Catalyze economic development
  • Promote environmental sustainability
  • Nurture an authentic sense of place

By working with the community in a collaborative process, this committee will initiate concepts and serve as a sounding board for ideas in making recommendations to the Board of Trustees. There will be a focus on improving connectivity and walkability to ensure that the Village's public spaces are attractive and welcoming to all. In identifying specific locations in the Village that could benefit from enhancement, this committee will be able to suggest cost-effective improvements to transform these places through public art, landscaping, streetscaping, historical signage, and events.

This committee will include among its members artists, architects, urban planners, landscapers/gardeners, business owners, students, community leaders, etc., who will utilize their diverse network of creators to assist the committee in its work. With the creation of this new committee, the Village Board seeks volunteers to serve. Click here for details and to apply.
What are you doing this weekend? Please join me at one of the many exciting events in Ossining. On Saturday, we have the 13th annual Green Ossining Earth Day Festival being held at Louis Engel Waterfront Park, adjacent to the Ossining Train Station, from 10AM to 5PM, rain or shine. The free community event will feature interactive activities for all ages.
On Sunday, from 11AM – 2PM is the Ossining Fire Department Open House. This event is open to all and will be held at OFD Headquarters on State Street. You can expect a family-friendly event with food, giveaways, fire truck rides, and a unique opportunity to meet our volunteers and learn more about the youth mentorship program!
This week is Holocaust memorial week; Today, April 18, is the Remembrance Day.

With the reported rate of hate crimes in the tristate area increasing tenfold the in recent years, now is a good time to take a moment to educate ourselves on the devastating effect of hatred on society.

I invite you to join with people across the country to remember the victims of the Holocaust, honor the survivors, and pay tribute to the rescuers and the liberators. The power of their history inspires us to confront antisemitism and all forms of group-targeted hate.

As the daughter of two Holocaust survivors, I can testify firsthand to the power of education as a tool that can be used against "hating the other" and learn how to walk in other people’s shoes to create a more civil society.
On Friday, April 28, at 10:30 am, the Village and Town of Ossining will be hosting an Arbor Day Tree Planting Celebration at the bus station on Spring Street between Waller Avenue & St. Paul's Place. Arbor Day 2023 marks the third year that the Village and Town of Ossining will celebrate the Tree City distinction together. The Village received this designation for the first time in 2020, while the Town will mark its 23rd year. This event will be held rain or shine.

We will welcome a number of guests from the community, including the coral group from Ossining High School and partners from Green Ossining, IFCA, and NeighborsLink.
This week’s Legislative Meeting will occur on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at 16 Croton at 7:30PM.
Some items of note: 
  • We will begin with a resolution to adopt the Open Burn local law.
  • There is a resolution to authorize the settlement of an auto accident claim.
  • There is a resolution declaring (7) vehicles/ pieces of large equipment as surplus (allowing them to be sold at auction over the coming weeks).
  • There is a resolution adopting the local law, which includes the changes to sidewalk cafes, outdoor dining, and sidewalk sales (changes are limited to removing the dates, which eliminates the need for an annual local law if changes are warranted, and returning the duties of licensing officer to the Village Clerk).
  • There is a resolution requesting that the Village Historian prepare research on a request for a Street Re-Naming for Sandy Galef.
  • There is a resolution awarding the bid on the DPW Central Garage roof replacement project.
  • The BOT will have a resolution authorizing the Village Manager to sign the Incentive Proposal (aka grant agreement) with ESD (Empire State Development) for the $1M grant the Village got through the CFA application in 2022 for the Multi-Modal Transportation Hub.
  • We will then end with the budget adjustments presented by the Village Treasurer for the 2022 year-end.
Village of Ossining | www.villageofossining.org